Pain radiated through her throat.

Her breathing grew ragged, her complexion turning from pale to deathly ash. Despite the agony, she stubbornly refused to beg for mercy. Her gaze, dull and hollow, carried a desolation that, for some inexplicable reason, made Maximus Anderson’s chest tighten.

"Rose Harrison, you really are pathetic," Maximus sneered, his voice dripping with venom.

Seeing the hatred in his eyes, Rose forced a painful, twisted smile. "Yeah. I’m pathetic, aren’t I?"

"Pathetic for loving you, pathetic for everything I do being branded a scheme in your eyes, and most pathetic of all… I don't even remember how I ended up in your bed." Large, heavy tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

For a split second, Maximus felt a sharp, phantom pain in his heart. How could he possibly feel pity for her? If it weren't for this damn tramp crawling into his bed back then, he never would have lost Delilah Kelly.

"Max, don't be like this. You’re hurting her," Delilah said, her voice laced with feigned concern. She shot a cruel glance at Rose before whispering to Maximus, "Max, just wait for the hospital to confirm the miscarriage. Then you can divorce her. Why waste your breath getting angry?"

"Don't even think about it," Rose rasped, her smile turning jagged.

"Rose Harrison!" Maximus roared.

The situation was spiraling out of control. Delilah felt a surge of triumph, though she quickly masked it, cooing at the volatile man until she finally coaxed him out of the room to fetch the final test results.

The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

Delilah curled her lips into a faint, mocking smirk. "So, Rose, do you like how things are turning out? You keep saying you love Maximus, right? Then go ahead and die. What’s the point of living?"

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a gloating whisper. "By the way, you want to know why you lost the baby?"

Delilah tilted her head, her expression dripping with malice. "That was all me. I arranged it. How could I ever let you carry Maximus’s child? This man is mine—even if it kills me, he’s mine."

"You used to call us best friends, didn't you? What’s the matter? You can't bear to hand Maximus over to me?" She laughed, her tone sharp with bitter jealousy.

"Delilah Kelly!"

Rose trembled so violently that her teeth chattered. Her eyes were wide, burning with such intense hatred that she looked ready to swallow Delilah whole. "You’re twisted! But listen to me—I’ll never sign the divorce papers, even if it kills me. Don't even dream of being the next Mrs. Anderson!"

Her child… her baby was gone because of this manipulative snake?

"Oh, honey, don't worry," Delilah chuckled, shaking her head. "Once the baby is gone, it’ll be easy for Maximus to get rid of you permanently. You’re just too naive. Go ahead, take your naivety to the grave. It’ll keep your little baby company."

The baby! The baby! No, no, her child!

Rose’s hands flew to her abdomen, a bitter, hollow ache consuming her. "Delilah, karma is coming for you," she whispered, closing her eyes to shut the woman out.

"I suggest you sign the papers. Don't make a scene," Delilah persisted, annoyed that Rose refused to break.

"Then tell Maximus to finish me off," Rose spat, her voice laced with mockery.

"Rose Harrison!"

Delilah was about to snap back when she spotted Maximus striding back into the room. Her face instantly shifted into a mask of pure, angelic worry. "Max, how is it? Is there any hope for the baby?"

"Delilah," Maximus said, patting her hand while his gaze landed on Rose, filled with a complex, dark confusion.

"Maximus, tell me… our baby is still there, right? Tell me he’s still there," Rose stammered, her voice shaking with a desperate, terrifying hope.